Zygometis

Zygometis is a genus of spider in the family Thomisidae described by Simon in 1901, containing the sole species Zygometis xanthogaster, or the milky flower spider or white flower spider, with a distribution from Thailand to Australia (including Lord Howe Island).^[1] They are ambush predators.

Zygometis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Thomisidae
Genus:	Zygometis Simon, 1901[1]
Species:	Z. xanthogaster
Binomial name
Zygometis xanthogaster (L. Koch, 1875)[1]
Synonyms[1]
Zygometis albiceris Zygometis cristulata Zygometis javana Zygometis lactea

Description

They are cream-white in colour, with brownish-red lines on the cephalothorax and abdomen.^[2] This coloration help them camouflage onto white flowers to ambush their prey.^[2] Females are 6.5 mm, while males are 3 mm.^[2]

Habitat

In Australia, they live from coastal forests to semi-arid areas.^[3] It is recorded in altitudes up to 661.5m .^[4]

Diet & ecology

They are "too small" to harm humans, and prey on insects by ambush.^[2]